Lemongrass Essential Oil: Uses, Blends and Safety

Lemongrass is one of the boldest scents in the essential oil cabinet: grassy, savory and wide awake. Here is what lemongrass essential oil is, what it’s used for, what it blends with, and how to use it safely on skin.

November 2, 2026 · 8 min read

You may know lemongrass from the kitchen, where its pale, woody stalks get bruised and dropped into soups and curries. The essential oil comes from a different part of the plant: the long, arching leaves, which hold the plant’s purest oil in their tips.

Open a bottle and the scent fills the room fast: fresh and grassy with a savory edge, the kind of smell that makes a kitchen feel clean. It is also one of the oils that asks for the most care on skin, and knowing the right dilution is most of what you need to enjoy it.

The short version

Lemongrass essential oil is steam-distilled from the leaves of a tall, tufted aromatic grass. Our label names it Cymbopogon schoenanthus.
It is used mostly for scent: a few drops in a diffuser, a fresh note in homemade kitchen and cleaning sprays, and, well diluted, in body oils.
It is strong on skin. Tisserand and Young set a maximum of 0.7% for lemongrass oil on skin: about 4 drops in 30 ml (1 oz) of carrier oil.
It is not phototoxic: it won’t make your skin burn more easily in the sun.
Keep it away from eyes, little ones and pets. The ASPCA lists lemon grass as toxic to dogs and cats.

What Is Lemongrass Essential Oil?

Lemongrass belongs to Cymbopogon, a group of tall, clumping tropical grasses with strongly scented leaves. The same group gives us citronella and palmarosa. Crush a leaf of any of them and you smell the oil right away.

The oil is made by steam distillation: steam passes through the cut leaves, carries the aromatic oil with it, and the oil separates from the water as it cools. The youngest leaves hold the most concentrated oil, especially in their tips, so ours is made only from young lemongrass leaves, harvested on sunny days when the oil is most available.

Why the label says Cymbopogon schoenanthus

“Lemongrass” is a common name, and more than one grass goes by it. Cymbopogon schoenanthus is the name printed on our bottle. On other lemongrass oils you will often see Cymbopogon citratus or Cymbopogon flexuosus. Whichever name you see, check that it is there at all: a real essential oil names its plant. “Lemongrass fragrance” on its own usually means a synthetic scent.

What Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Used For?

Mostly for its scent, in three places:

The diffuser. A few drops give a room a lively, energizing lift. It is a favorite for busy days at a desk, and plenty of people also find its steady, grassy scent calming.
The kitchen and the cleaning cupboard. Lemongrass is a natural partner for homemade kitchen and cleaning sprays, where its fresh, savory note smells right at home.
Body care, well diluted. A drop or two in a body oil or unscented lotion gives a clean, green personal scent. This is where to be careful; see the numbers below.

What It Smells Like, and What It Blends With

Our lemongrass is savory and aromatic: a potent, grassy fragrance that feels invigorating the moment you open the bottle. It is strong enough to take over a blend, so start with fewer drops of lemongrass than of its partners.

It loves citrus and softens nicely with florals and mint. A few diffuser blends to try, in drops for a standard water diffuser:

Zesty kitchen: 2 drops lemongrass, 3 drops Lime (more in our lime guide)
Soft and green: 2 drops lemongrass, 3 drops Lavender
Bright desk blend: 2 drops lemongrass, 2 drops Grapefruit, 1 drop Peppermint
Garden afternoon: 2 drops lemongrass, 3 drops Geranium Rose

How to Use Lemongrass Essential Oil

In a diffuser

Start with 2 to 4 drops in the water reservoir and adjust from there. Diffuse for 30 to 60 minutes at a time rather than all day, in a room with some airflow and a door your pets can use.

In a homemade kitchen spray

For a fresh scent while you wipe down counters, mix in a 100 ml (about 3.4 oz) glass spray bottle:

About 90 ml distilled water
About 10 ml witch hazel or high-proof vodka (it helps the oil disperse)
8 drops lemongrass and 12 drops lime

Shake well before every spray, since oil and water separate. Test on a hidden spot first, especially on stone or wood, and keep the spray away from eyes, people and pets. Think of it as a scent for your cleaning routine: essential oils add fragrance, they don’t replace your cleaner.

Chaé Lemongrass Essential Oil in a blue 15 ml bottle on a woven bamboo tray beside a twine-tied bundle of fresh lemongrass and a halved lime

How Much Lemongrass Is Safe on Skin?

Less than most oils. Tisserand and Young, the standard reference on essential oil safety, set a maximum of 0.7% for lemongrass oil on skin. That limit is there to prevent skin reactions: citral, the molecule behind the lemony smell of most lemongrass oils, is a known skin sensitizer, and once your skin is sensitized, it can react every time you use the oil. Citral is on the European Union’s list of fragrance allergens that must be named on cosmetic labels.

Here is what 0.7% looks like in practice:

Body oil: no more than 4 drops in 30 ml (1 oz) of a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond. Two or three drops is plenty for scent.
Roll-on: 1 drop in a 10 ml roller bottle, topped up with carrier oil, works out to about 0.5%.
Face: half the body amount or less, and well away from the eyes. Many people simply skip lemongrass on the face.

Never apply lemongrass undiluted. Try a small patch on your inner arm first, and stop if your skin turns red, itchy or warm. Don’t add lemongrass to a bath: oil doesn’t mix with water, so the drops float and land on your skin undiluted.

Is Lemongrass Oil Phototoxic?

No. Lemongrass isn’t phototoxic. Phototoxic oils contain furocoumarins, compounds that react with sunlight on the skin and can cause redness, blistering or dark patches that last for months. They show up mainly in cold-pressed citrus oils such as bergamot, lime and bitter orange. Lemongrass has “lemon” in its name, but it is a grass, not a citrus fruit, and it isn’t among the oils known to be phototoxic.

The sun note on our product pages is a general caution we give for every oil. Lemongrass itself isn’t known to cause sun reactions.

What about the health claims you see online?

Search “lemongrass essential oil benefits” and you will find long lists, from germs and pain to digestion and sleep. Most of that comes from lab studies or traditional use, not from a diffuser at home. In the U.S., an oil sold to treat a health problem is regulated as a drug; ours is sold for its scent, and we don’t make health claims for it. If you are managing a health condition, talk with your doctor.

Using It Safely

A few simple habits keep lemongrass pleasant:

Dilute for skin, every time. No more than 0.7%, as above.
Eyes and sensitive areas: keep it away from the eyes, inner ears and broken or irritated skin.
Don’t swallow it. A bottle of essential oil is for the diffuser, home sprays and well-diluted skin use.
Children: keep the bottle out of reach. Don’t use lemongrass on the skin of babies and toddlers, and check with your pediatrician before using it on or near young children.
Pets: the ASPCA lists lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses and names its essential oils as one reason. Treat any lemongrass oil the same way: diffuse only briefly, in a ventilated room your pet can leave, and never put oils on a pet’s skin or fur.
Pregnancy and medical care: check with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or under a doctor’s care.
Storage: keep the cap tight and the bottle cool and dark. Use it within about two to three years, and replace it if it starts to smell flat or harsh.

How to Choose a Good Lemongrass Oil

A few things on the label tell you a lot:

The plant: a Cymbopogon species, named on the label. Not just “lemongrass scent”.
The part of the plant and the method: leaves, steam-distilled.
One ingredient: lemongrass oil and nothing else, unless the label says it is pre-diluted.
Independent standards: our oils are Grade A, Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified. Here is what ToxicFree® certification means.

The Bottom Line

Lemongrass is the wake-up oil: bold, grassy and fresh, perfect in a diffuser on a busy day and at home in a homemade kitchen spray. It isn’t phototoxic, but it is strong on skin, so keep it to 0.7% or less, patch test first, and keep it away from eyes, little ones and pets. Pair it with lime for zing or lavender for calm, and a few drops will go a long way.

FAQ: Lemongrass Essential Oil

What is lemongrass essential oil used for?

Mostly for scent: a few drops in a diffuser for an energizing lift, a fresh, savory note in homemade kitchen and cleaning sprays, and, well diluted, a clean, green scent in body oils.

Can I put lemongrass oil directly on my skin?

No. Always dilute it. Tisserand and Young set a maximum of 0.7% for lemongrass on skin, which is about 4 drops in 30 ml (1 oz) of carrier oil. Use less on the face and patch test first.

Is lemongrass oil phototoxic?

No. Lemongrass isn’t among the oils known to be phototoxic, so it won’t make skin burn more easily in the sun. Phototoxicity is mainly a problem with cold-pressed citrus oils.

What blends well with lemongrass?

Citrus oils such as lime and grapefruit, softer oils such as lavender and geranium rose, and a little peppermint for a fresher edge. Use fewer drops of lemongrass than of its partners.

Is lemongrass oil safe around cats and dogs?

Be careful. The ASPCA lists lemon grass as toxic to dogs and cats. Diffuse only briefly in a ventilated room your pet can leave, keep the bottle out of reach, and never apply oils to a pet.

How long does lemongrass essential oil last?

Kept tightly capped, cool and out of the light, about two to three years. If it smells flat or harsh, it is time for a fresh bottle.

Sources

Tisserand R, Young R. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals, 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone / Elsevier, 2014.
Tisserand Institute — Q&A safety maximums for dermal application.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — Lemon Grass (toxic and non-toxic plants list).
European Commission — Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annex III (fragrance allergens).
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online: Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Aromatherapy.
National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy — Safety Guidelines.

Product spotlight

Every Chaé essential oil is 100% pure, Grade A, Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified, with the plant named on the label. Start with lemongrass, then add a bright or soft partner.